Scaffold and clamp for scaffolds and the like



y 1937. D. H. HAYDEN 2,080,916

, SCAFFOLD AND CLAMP FOR SCAFFOLDS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 14, 1934 2Sheets-Sheet 1 May 18, 1937. D. H. HAYDEN SCAFFCLD AND CLAMP FORSCAFFOLDS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1934 I l /anionaudaimerfl Patented May 18, 1937 PATENT OFFICE SCAFFOLD AND CLAMP FORSCAFFOLDS AND THE LIKE David Homer Hayden, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 14, 1934, Serial No. 739,790

8 Claims.

The invention relates to scaffolds and clamping means for scaffold andlike members. At the present time, in' constructing temporary scaffoldsfrom metal bars, it is customary to use metal tubes which are connectedat their points of intersection by sleeve-like couplings. The presentinvention provides improved clamping means for connecting flanged metalbars at an angle and thereby provision is made for constructing ascaffold.of flanged metal bars without necessitating cutting or boringholes in the bars.

The invention consists in the features of improvement hereinafter setforth, illustrated in the preferred forms in the accompanying drawingsand more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is an isometric diagram of a one pole ,scafiold.

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of a portion of the improved scaffold andclamping means therefor.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5, are views in elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2,Figs. 3 and 5 being views looking in the direction of the arrows. 3 and5, respectively, of Fig. 4, and in Fig. 3 the flange of theupright baror pole is broken away to show the clamp member in elevation.

'Figs. 4m and 6 are sections on the lines ad and 6-6, respectively, ofFig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a plan view and Fig. 8 an elevation of scaffold partsillustrating certain modifications. Figs. 9 and 10 are isometric viewsillustrating modified forms of the clamp. H

In the diagram of Fig. 1, uprights o r poles are indicated at A,longitudinal laterals or ledgers at B and transverse laterals or putlogsat C. As well understood, the scaffold may consist of a single row ofpoles or uprights in which case the transverse laterals or putlogs aresupported upon the wall of the building; or two rows of poles spacedflve or six feet apart may be used.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inelusive, the uprights orpoles and the longitudinal and transverse lateral are formed of channelbars, with the longitudinal laterals B and uprights or poles A havingtheir webs in contact and their flanges facing in opposite directions,and with the webs of each transverse lateral C in contact with one ofthe flanges of the upright or pole A. v

The clamp for connecting the flanged bars hand B. comprises two membersD which are of the same shape or form. Each member in plan is triangularin outline and in elevation somewhat conical, having parts l0 and IIoppositely inclined from its central portion. The central portion isprovided with an opening to receive a tie bolt [2 and a flat face l3against which the head of the bolt or the nut thereon bears.

On one side of the bolt opening and. on its inner face, the clamp memberis-provided with a groove or seat M which embraces or extends over theedge of one of the flanges of one of the bars. The inclined portion orhorn ll] of the member overlaps this same bar and is provided at its endwith a seat l5 which engages the web of the bar.

The other inclined portion ll of the clamp member bridges one of theangles between the bars and is provided with an angular seat 5 (as mostclearly shown in Fig. 5) which engages the corner or edge of the otherbar. That is to say each member overlaps one of the bars, is providedwith seats I4 and H) for engaging the flange and web of the bar which itoverlaps and is also provided with an angular seat l6 which engages thecorner or edge portion of the other bar, so that the two bars arethereby positioned in predetermined angular relation. As' a further aidin holding these bars in angular relation, each member is provided withan arc-shaped lug l.'| extending from its angular seat I6 and these lugsof the two members engage each other, bridge the angle between the barsand abut against the faces of the bars on opposite sides of the angle.

As noted, the two clamp members are alike in form and when in positionand connected by the bolt i2 are disposed opposite one another. Also,the flange engaging seat or groove I4 is so shaped that, as most clearlyindicated in Fig. 6, the member bears on the bar at one end only of thegroove. That is to say, when viewed as in the lower portion of Fig. 4,each clamp member bears upon the bar it overlaps at the points I5 and atthe right hand end of the groove l4, and 40 on the other bar at thepoint l6, and these three points of bearing are triangularly disposed.It is also noted that the bolt I2 is located substantially centrallywith reference to these three points of bearing and, when the nut on thebolt is tight- 45 ened, the bars are very securely clamped. The clampmembers are preferably formed of forged steel which is somewhatresilient and harder than the mild steel used to form the flanged barsand, since the members engage the bars at spaced points, they tend tobite into and securely grip the bars. 7

The clamp member D shown at the upper por-v tions of Figs. 2, 3, 4., and5, is the same in form as that previously described. It overlaps thetransverse lateral C, has seats I l and I5 engaging the flange and webof the lateral and an angular seat l6 and lug l1 engaging the edge ofthe upright or pole A. However, the part which overlaps the upright orpole A at this point is in the form of a hook [8 formed upon the end ofthe bolt H! which extends through the clamp member D. Preferably as anaid in positioning the bars, the loop portion of the bolt i9 isprovidedwith seats (see Fig. 4a) for engaging the edges of the pole A.It is particularly noted that it is not necessary to provide holes oropenings in the bars. Also the parts are'so arranged that the connectingbolts each extend through the angle between two connected bars andclosely adjacent the apex of the angle between the bars.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. '7 and 8, each pole or upright of thescaffold, for additional strength, comprises two channel bars A and Ahaving their webs disposed at right angles toeach other as shown in theplan view, Fig. 7. The longitudinal and transverse laterals B and C arealso in the form of channel bars with their edge flanges in contact andwith their webs in contact with the webs of the uprights A and A,respectively.

At their points of intersection, the longitudinal laterals B and uprightchannel bars A are connected by clamp members D in all respects similarto those previously described for connecting the uprights andlongitudinal laterals in the form shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive. Thetransverse laterals C are connected to. the uprights A by similar clampmembers D, except that the clamp members D and D are rights and lefts.To aid in distinguishing the rights and lofts, the clamp members D arepreferably made with a rounded or curved and substantially conical outersurface and the outer surface of the clamp members D are formed offacets.

The channel bars forming the longitudinal and transverse laterals of thescaffold which have their'edge flanges in contact are connected at theirpoints of intersection by clamp members The members of each pair are thesame in form. Each comprises a portion 2i which overlaps the edge flangeof one of the channel bars, is of sub- .stantially triangular form andhas at one corner an offset lug 22 which overlaps the edge of the flangeof the bar and also forms an angle seat which engages the outer face andedge of the flange. The portion 2| of the clamp is also provided with anangle seat 23 which engages the corner edge or angle between the web andflange of the bar. The portion 24 of the clamp member is offset orinclined relative to the portion 21 and bridges one of the anglesbetween the two bars and at its end is provided with an angle seat 25which engages the corner between the outer faces of .the flange and webof the other bar and rests upon these faces. The members of each clampare provided with bolt holes so arranged that the connecting bolt 26extends through the angle between the bars that is bridged by the clampmembers. Both in this form of the clamp and in that previously describedthe parts are so arranged that the connecting bolt is very closelyadjacent and preferably substantially in contact with the faces of thebars which are connected by the clamp.

It is noted that in both forms each clamp member bears on the connectedbars at three triangularly spaced points. Each of the clamp -members Ebears on the bar which it overlaps only at the spaced seats 22 and 23,and on the other bar at the seat 25. The other portions of the clampmember do not engage the bars. With this arrangement the clamp membersvery securely grip the bars.

In the form shown in Figs. '7 and 8, it is noted that as most clearlyshown in Fig. 7, the lugs 22 on the clamp members E overlap and engagethe edges of the uprights A and A. The joint shown in these figures isvery strong and rigid and, in effect, prevents any relative movement ofthe connected bars.

' Fig. 9 is an isometric view of the clamp members E shown in Figs. 7and 8. Clamp members E shown in the isometric view, Fig. 10, are quitesimilar to the clamps E except that the clamps E and E" are rights andlefts and are distinguished by providing them with curved and facettedouter surfaces.

As stated, the clamp members are preferably formed of forged steel andcan be used for forming temporary scaffolds and other like structuresused in the building industry to rigidly connect flanged metal barswithout cutting or forming holes in the bars. It is particularly notedthat the clamp members bridge one of the angles between each pair ofconnected bars and form bracing struts between the bars to hold them inpredetermined angular relation and usually at right angles. v

Changes may be made in the details set forth without departure from .thescope of the appended claims. By using rights and lefts rigid joints areprovided which prevent any relative movement of the connected bars.

I claim as my invention:

1. A scaffold frame having polesv and laterals formed of. flanged metalbars in contact at their points of intersection, and a coupling clampfor each pair of intersecting bars comprising two members, eachoverlapping one of the bars and extending across the angle between thebars and bearingon the other bar and a. bolt extending through the anglebetween the bars and connecting the clamp members.

2-. A scaffold. frame having poles and. longitudinal and transverselaterals formed 01' flanged bars, and a clamp for connecting the bars ateach point of intersection comprising two separate cooperating memberseach overlapping one of the bars and having two bearing seats engagingthe same and also having an offset portion provided with a. bearing seatengaging the other bar, and means for separably connecting said members.

3. A scafiold frame having poles .and longitudinal and transverselaterals formed of flanged bars, and a clamp for connecting the bars ateach point .of intersection comprising two members each overlapping oneof the bars and having engaged lugs bridging one of the angles betweenthe bars to hold the same in predetermined angular relation, and a boltextending through such angle and connecting the clamp members.

4. A scaffold supporting frame comprising poles and laterals formed offlanged metal bars having their webs in contact .andtheir flanges facingin .oppositeldirections, clam-p members, each extending over one of thebars and having seats engaging the flange and web thereof and having anoffset provided'with an angular seat engaging thev edge of the otherbar, and a members adapted to respectively overlap the bar and bridgeone of the angles between the bars and form bracing struts to hold thebars in predetermined angular relation, each member having threetriangularly spaced bearing seats, two for engaging one of the bars andthe third for engaging the other bar, and a connecting bolt disposedcentrally with respect to said seats and arranged to extend through theangle between the bars and closely adjacent the bars.

6. A clamp member for connecting flanged metal bars comprising a portionarranged to overlap one of the bars and having a bearing seat and agroove for engaging the web and flange respectively of the overlappedbar, the clamp member also having an offset portion arranged to bridgean angle between the connected bars and provided with an angle seat atits end for engaging the edge portions of the flange and web of theother bar, and the member having a hole for receiving a bolt extendingoutside of and. closely adjacent the connected bars.

7. A pair of like clamp members for connecting flanged metal bars at anangle, each comprising a part arranged to overlap the flange of one ofthe bars and having spaced angular seats for engaging the edges of suchflange, and a relatively inclined offset portion arranged to bridge anangle between the connected bars and having an angular seat at its endfor engaging the corner between the flange and web of the other bar, thesaid bearing seats being triangularly spaced and the members beingarranged to be connected by a bolt disposed centrally with respect tosaid seats and extending outside and closely adjacent the connectedbars.

8. A scafiold frame comprising poles and longitudinal and transverselaterals formed of channel bars, each pole comprising two spaced bars,and each of said laterals extending between and in contact with both ofsaid bars and in contact with the other lateral, and independent

